Hey Peeps! Connie asked me to share a bit about a project she saw on my personal blog. I got to do an artist-in-residence project this May. So freaking cool. I swear it was a blast every day. You know you hear the sappy stuff people say about these things - stuff like how they get more out of it than the kids? Well......true that! It was really a rewarding thing. This project had about a billion examples of why it is so important to support the arts in schools. A LOT of these kids were special needs kids. The vast majority of them were around 12 or 13. They worked their tails off to get this accomplished and it was fabulous. I highly recommend it if you ever get the opportunity to share your gifts with kids......or whoever.
Anyway, I did a short little video of the month that I was at this school https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gf4DZJDAq6g about 30 seconds in the music will start. Ovuca -Awesome music and YES, I got permission from the artist to use his work legally. All my videos have legal music.
The school set up a site to explain our intentions with the project.http://www.wrsd.org/district.cfm?subpage=1279031
I have a little wrap up about it in my blog too. http://lindabillet.blogspot.com/2011/05/warrior-run.html
.....and if you're really into it, we made their local paper. http://dailyitem.com/danvillenews/x1759378153/Warrior-Run-students-create-mosaics
Comments
It's so easy to forget a lot of kids these days have no access to any kind of art program at home or in school. A lot of parents don't realize the importance of it, even if they had art classes when they went to school. A lot of schools will fight for funds to buy football uniforms for a few students, but will not even consider fighting for the same funds to buy art supplies for the whole #!* school! I'm forever preaching the benefits of art to schools, kids, and parents, but sometimes I feel like I'm talking to the wall.
Teach a kid to draw, and he can entertain himself for a lifetime. Teach a kid to play football and he'll entertain himself for a few years and have bad knees forever. And it gives kids such a feeling of confidence to create something!
Okay, I'll step away from the soapbox now. The choir has heard enough.
Love your project! I work with Pre-K thru 6th grade kids in one of the poorest counties in Mississippi through Delta Arts Alliance, a wonderful organization bringing artists into schools with no art programs. It is exhausting, invigorating, heartbreaking, and up lifting. I would recommend working with at risk kids to any artist. Just keep your patience and your cool, because the ones you need you the most are the ones who will act out the worst.
I am also impressed with your video. I bet the kids loved to see themselves in it. Do you mind if I borrow your idea for my kids?